TFS: Cast Aluminum Weld Repair

[@TheFabricatorSeries]

⬇⬇ Need a legit carbide bur set? DON'T BUY CHEAP! ⬇⬇ amzn.to/2S7f2EA

[@CLDiesel02]

What’s the trick to keeping your burr from getting gooped up when you grinding aluminum?

[@PorkBarrel.]

Bee's Wax

[@mpikas]

For just a little bit of grinding like that just keep the speed down. In general, a little bit of lube, spray lube works OK (stuff like the DuPont Teflon dry lube works quite well) but if you're going to do a lot of it dipping the burr in some wax occasionally works best. The cheapest/my go-to is to go to the hardware store and get a toilet sealing wax ring for $1.50 and you'll have a block of wax that will last you near forever or until something happens to it (I once dipped a grinder into one that had been packed into a can running at full speed and it caught whipped around and sprayed across most of the shop :-/)

[@TheFabricatorSeries]

@@mpikas MIG nozzle gel is the greatest carbide lube I have ever seen. I accidentally set one in the container about a decade ago and it ripped through the metal I was working on so fast that it messed up my part haha. I've never seen anything work quite like it.

[@djeletropopstarify]

How did you judging what's the arc gap because you have to hold the arc gap as close as posible without touching the molted metal

[@someguy7258]

I do a lot of cast aluminum repair work and I found that for small tabs like that it is best to just use the little part that is broken as a reference. I use 4043 filler and just buildit back up piling weld on top of weld until I have the right amount of metal added to the main piece.after that I'll use a body file on the machine surface and the gasket to Mark where the hole needs to be. Then with a Dremel or a die grinder shape the little tab and drill the hole. I found it to be way faster and easier than trying to weld a piece of cast aluminum that is small especially if it is a shity quality.

[@1nvisible1]

*Same here. I don't always even try to keep the orig mount hole from filling in a little if it's close to the crack as long as I know where it is and can clean it back out with a drill. Fabricator's final version is pretter than necessary lol. I usually get in and back out before the whole ear collapses.*

[@quickstart-M51]

This is the type of welding video I like. No jabbering on and on about trivial or obvious things. No going off on tangents. Showing the “face” of the work most of the time and not the face of the speaker. Letting us get a good look at the finished weld. Well done.

[@hjvisagie]

I have been welding cast Alu for 6 years now and around here nobody wants to do it. I am so glad to see you have the same struggles as me!!!! Its rarely beautiful but Ive had only 2 comebacks in 6 years. I always thought the PRO’S would be doing a much better job. I have another technique as well. Like when Im welding on diesel soaked parts have the part sit in Acetone bath for a while, then heat it with a propane torch. A lot of bad stuff seems to come out. Wash it off and brush it off. I do this several times. Seems to help a lot. But basically the way you do it is how I’ve been doing it for 6 years. Thanks for at least showing me I haven’t been doing it wrong all this time. Love your channel keep up the good work.

[@dietmarfink8233]

that's a perfect thing to do, to get out the old diesel out of cast parts. The Aceton does evaporate under less temperature than the diesel and assures at least, there´s no fluids left in the pores. If you can, blasting is also pretty handy, in case the part is just oxidized or normal dirt...

[@jeffreyhinman1397]

I was going to say the same thing, use a torch to outgas it and pull out impurities.

[@chrisplayz253]

@@dietmarfink8233 sand blasting? I wouldn't sand blast anything to be tig welded it gets stuck in the material

[@alec-s]

Same issues as well and same acetone solution. isoprpyl alcool works good as well, but both of them can't solve porosity issues....

[@johnfulcher1512]

Need an aluminium casting for a Meade Telescope tube straps joined back together by welding. What do you think-possibly can do? If , who might you recommend?

[@ThisOldTony]

nice work! those things can be a bear. a dirty, oily bear.

[@TheFabricatorSeries]

Thanks! I'd be lion if I said they're all easy to fix.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

I'll probably be learning to do this the hard way,now that I have a tig. Wouldn't it help to burn the oily crap off with a propane torch first? I suppose it's not gonna get it all but maybe it helps )

[@TheFabricatorSeries]

@@MrTheHillfolk I suppose it would help to burn it a bit, but I just go after it with the TIG torch. It will all burn off in the first few seconds of welding.

[@MrTheHillfolk]

The Fabrication Series True , that heat will get rid of it just as quick after a few tacks I see. You call it welding , but I’m sure I’ll be burning holes in manifolds and all kinds of things in no time.

[@adamtester7611]

Tony, big fan of yours and newish to justin. I am confused at the double cut burr and minimal prep? Being an ali fabricator(AS1665) I am confused. I would have ground a prep in, leaving a key and tried for a 90% penetrating weld. No disrespect, I wasn't there. I'll continue to watch, but the double cut burr has me concerned... Adam ADFAB IND.

[@jasondauria6336]

As a fairly new tig welder myself, when I struck that first arc I spent more time re-grinding electrode points than I did attempting to weld. I would highly recommend The Fabrication Series videos for ANYONE who has the ability to pay attention to detail and follow instruction. I have learned more by watching several hours of his videos than I could ever have just reading online forums. One thing that you can't teach is physical control, but the pointers and suggestions sure have made a massive difference in my weld quality. Thank you for all your great information sir. 😎👍

[@raymondjackson6069]

This guy is a great teacher, and without all the product overload. Very understandable.

[@dumbluck6180]

Thank you for this video. I've been working on a 1956 outboard motor. I made a couple of successful repairs, but just completely destroyed a hinge on the motor cover. I'm a novice, but with enough experience that I tried the methods you showed before I saw your video. I'm glad it's not just my lack of skill that's made this project so difficult. There's an unbelievable amount of crud in this old aluminum. It's so much worse than the part you just welded. Gotta make a new hinge barrel and hopefully get it to stick.

[@adrianayala9753]

I love this man you these "little" repair are great for us welders. I'm mobile and I'm welding cast aluminum tomorrow and found this video trying to freshen up my memory as it's been a long time since I last did cast

[@alec-s]

for years i thought it was my fault in welding cast alluminium parts, then I understood it was an alluminium quality issue.... It's relieving to see you have the same problems....

[@AXNJXN1]

Your videos are absolutely classroom excellent. You keep to the point, excellent commentary and justify everything and what needs to be accomplished through every step. You explain the entire process very, very well. Thank you.

[@rudyrayaaw5138]

Jobs like this with a small tab missing, after a thorough grind clean up, I usually build up all new material, grind it back to a rough shape similar to what was there, file the gasket surface back flat, and re-drill the hole using the gasket as a template. To each his own. There is more than one way to skin a cat. Different strokes for different folks. KEEP UP THE GREAT VIDEOS BROTHER!!!

[@chadandrews98]

RudyRay AAW It would be interesting to see a video of how to build up material in the manner you describe.

[@hjvisagie]

I also do it like that sometimes if the piece broken off is really small. Also try to make a stainless backing to clamp to the tab. It helps keep the tab cool and gives you a bigger weld window without overheating the small part.

[@Steve_Just_Steve]

@@chadandrews98 Watch Keith Fenner's video called "The Manual 3D Metal Printer"

[@brandonspencer309]

RudyRay AAW I think Jody “The TIG Finger”’s Channel has a pretty good via of the build up process that was referred too. If memory serves me; it was a small corner mounting point like the one in this video, and he was doing it as a favor for a machinist friend so after the build-up he just sent it back as is for the guy to Mill and drill... It was a real good tutorial..... I'll edit in his changes name in a few min... "Weldingtipsandtricks"**^

[@psychoskippy4126]

I’m self taught so far any cast I’ve welded hasn’t been to bad but I’ve learnt so much from your videos

[@dalton5517]

absolutely top tier video thank you for the voice over instead of playing some awful royalty free music

[@BlakeMcBride]

I'm nowhere near the level of skill that you are, but I'm glad to see that the annoyances I deal with when working with nasty old cast aluminum are universal and not just me totally sucking at it. I can make strong welds on parts like this, but they're rarely beautiful. Thanks for the tutorial, as always!

[@johnknowing-zr8de]

Rémi Talneau we use a flux capacitor infuser with a diolithic setting. We also use non warp sticks ( NWS) that helps stop warpage. At times we may put the broken part in a parabolic chamber before we pre heat .The chamber realigns the molecular strifacites in the metal. But when were lazy we just weld it

[@scottcarr3264]

Good work Justin, That is the reality of welding up Alluminium Castings. I do one, now and then, and sometimes they take quite a bit of work to get that crap out, to make a solid weld, but that is the nature of the beast.

[@garycotz563]

You could have just added the metal and drilled/shaped it, I get it. BUT you showed that even a small piece can be welded back on and "CAN" be done using a technique that works for a bigger piece... so VERY helpful. And thanks for the burr toolset recommendation.

[@HunterStephensKY]

You’ve got a real honest and genuine attitude. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I’m a beginner and I appreciate it Man

[@HeimoVN]

I wont call cast aluminium a lower quality of aluminium, it is just a different alloy, extruded or billet aluminium is generally a alloy that does not cast very well... Cast alloys generally contain large amounts of silicon... It may also contain zinc and small amounts of copper or even magnesium... I am wondering though if the junk you encounter while welding can be some of the more reactive components of the alloy that oxidise like magnesium for example... Edit thinking about it a bit further, if the casting has porosity issues I guess oil could also absorb into the pores and present problems... Mhmm more things to think about...

[@nameofthegame9664]

I think it all comes down to cost as everything in this world. Quality casting differs a lot from cheap castings. And when mass producing something you want it as cheap as possible therefore the quality of the metal poured is sometimes a conundrum.

[@mannuel9165]

mic from mexico very good video i am learning to weld with tig and sometimes i have these repairs it s good to find someone who does it professionally and learn from you guys thank you

[@wickedb16]

Someone must really like this old ford manifold

[@sir.lithium81]

Dimitri Ol someone’s trying to keep it all original parts car 😂

[@tonytully4943]

I always enjoy the explanations that you give. The reality of what it takes as well as frustrations like dipping the tungsten. I always look forward to your video's

[@papalilburn]

Great video! Tried to repair a part on a RV awning support, it ate my lunch and dinner too! Finally got it to stick, but nothing to be proud of!

[@grantsnell6782]

Nicely done! It took me a while to understand what you meant by 'hammereing down'.

[@luisetorres5760]

Thank you so much for this video! I’m doing a 240sx water inlet tube in aluminum and it drove me crazy!! Finally I can understand why it won’t do perfectly dimes. Tried changing everything looking for that perfect weld!!

[@Mr.Mind1976]

Aluminium welding is a fun thing to do. I get a lot of car parts that need to be fixed. Some aluminium rims I fixed too. Cleaning is the most important part for sure.

[@weldingjunkie]

Good repair man! I just did a cast aluminum clutch for a motorcycle. I used the Maxal 4943 wets out great like 4043 but stronger.

[@TheFabricatorSeries]

4943 is some awesome stuff. I ran 4043 for the vid since it's more common and will do the job well.

[@slaughterandmayhem]

Hey welding junkie what kind of strength do you expect to get on a piece of cast aluminum? 4043 is just fine. Castings are weak with low melting points like 4043. Unless its cast with a special grade aluminum like a Porsche racing engine block I had to repair all your doing is pointless over kill.

[@weldingjunkie]

slaughterandmayhem what are you talking about? 4943 is awesome 1. Strength, I replaced all my 4043 with 4943 and not just for cast, its same price here and I can get it no problem. 2. It’s stronger again not just on cast. 3. It wets out faster than your girl on date night 4. The sheen is shinny every time. Last and maybe most important it’s heat treatable. It’s not overkill it’s just a better rod. Use what you like but you obviously never used it. And yes I know 4043 is fine to use, or didn’t you read our comments?

[@SuprSi]

As someone who's never touched a tig torch in my life, I find all your videos fascinating. I'm definitely going to have to buy a tig welder at some point, maybe get a big pile of scrap metal to play with.. Thanks very much for the great info and footage, much appreciated ;)

[@Yokotukanoshi]

Did you buy one? I just did!!

[@leonkorotenko406]

Nice, I'm a beginner so every bit of coaching and guidance helps. Much appreciated......

[@windysolar1Planet-Earth]

My latest project will be stripped down to just the alloy fram a Honda VFR750f .it was dropped on the left side and as I removed the left footpeg bracket the lower mount broke off Will be reattached once its stripped It was going to be a simple rebuild, now waiting for warmer weather love watching your work

[@jeffgraham4974]

Excellent, I’ve got a 2 stroke casing that I damaged and it will need this kind of repair. Not gonna do it myself but it’s made me wanna go to a tig course at college now after watching

[@youmakeitreal]

Ha! Thanks for making this video, and talking about the quality of the metal being a factor in how much trouble you can have. I was welding a 1/8" adapter into a cast water neck and had to go back over, and over again to fill the pinholes. At my level of expertise I thought I must have missed something in your class, and thought I was doing something wrong.

[@edreiss3637]

Its funny I was a Chevrolet auto mechanic my whole life and I know the value of that part. If you can show me how to fix that then you are my hero. I see you are wearing safety mechanics gloves. A better name for them would have been genius gloves because of all the money you can make with them.

[@TatusFAB]

I’ll always like to do a good pre-heat and then let it cool down. That burns all the shit out of it then its easier to weld, at least for me! Great video keep it up!👍

[@secondarycontainment4727]

I was thinking the same. But I have no experience welding cast aluminum. I was also wondering why not throw some flux at the "mechanical weld"? Again, I am not experienced in any of this.

[@kurryking4459]

What temperature and how much tim? Ty

[@jesserasso1042]

Really nice work so your using the tig torch as a cleaning tool and a heating tool to heat the cast aluminum I like it I love this dude he's very knowledgeable

[@ThatOldStoner]

I broke the cast bracket on the alternator on my 302. My buddy (pro welder) welded it with an aluminum rod with an ancient buzz box. Needless to say I'll never question his ability again.

[@markrichardson239]

Well, I use the rod when the cast is so oil-impregnated and contaminated that nothing else will weld it. And, with a good pre-heat. It isn't near as pretty, it isn't as pure, but it has it's uses.

[@ralphwaters8905]

Did you use 5356 filler on that casting? How do you choose the best filler for an application like this? Also, would there be any advantage in pre-heating a large casting with a propane or MAPP/air torch?

[@siyaindagulag.]

Prep.prep. Prep. Can't say it enough. Preheat. 5000 series filler FGW. (my preference).carbon scratch test. Reducing flame. My procedure, for what it's worth. Thanks for the vid man.

[@dannybraps7743]

Definitely taught me something I was unsure what welder even gets used good vid man subbed

[@tmackinator]

Nice to see a real pro in action!

[@tomthompson7400]

nice work , these jobs can be tricky , a great view even when the welding took priority .

[@colonialroofingofnorthcaro441]

Brother I love watching you, learning so much and very appreciative of the time and effort of what it takes to do this, the only down side is I can't hear you, I don't know what it takes to make these so I'm ignorant, but ever vid I watch no problem, your I have wide open and still can't hear you good, just wanted to let you know for those of use that watch on our phones, thanks and God bless

[@howlinhog]

Don't forget the function of the component you're welding either! Introducing a vacuum leak because material was removed around the port can be a headache for the end user. I was literally squirming in my seat with the haphazard use of the surface prep disc and file around the port opening edges. Great video! That sentiment goes for all your videos. Thanks!

[@123PetrolHead]

Good video, need to repair the mud guard bracket on my gixxer forks, had a go the other day and it melted into a blob! Will try playing with the balance and frequency next time. My biggest problem was trying to keep it clamped together, never even thought of using some flat bar to clamp it together, sure that'll work a treat!

[@R1Custom]

Thank you sooo much... I am a newbie and needed this helpful commentary to motivate me to weld my part on my car....

[@KennyChurchSpeed]

I know this an older video, but really funny when you say, "we're not making decorations, just solid repair." Made me laugh, but totally true!

[@BorisSpark]

We do repairs on the engine cooling fins and we build up a whole fin from scratch, to make sure it is good and clear of impurities due to the age and the part and some times it means we have to build up 5 centimetres worth of ally about 2 mm thick.

[@bob14219]

your presentation is like listening to the traffic copter guy - take a breath once in a while

[@GarageTimeAutoResto]

Cool, thanks for showing us the actual bad with the good. It came out good of course but the steps along the way are helpful!👍

[@IsThisAvailable550]

I'm not a welder, but my eye's were welded to the screen for the full video, thank you.

[@gordjohnson70]

Very good video. Would brazing or silver soldering be an acceptable repair for that ?

[@bravethewildgaming8139]

Totally makes sense! Wish I had these types of welding machines. Just cracked my thermostat housing and a new one is no where to be found. Probably gonna just weld a mild steel replica

[@Noahlochner0]

Welded my first little cast iron piece that someone tries super gluing back together... What an absolute pain in the stuff... Hopefully the next one will go smoother.

[@troywatson4686]

Thanks for the tips. I’m new to tig and struggling but I won’t give up. Keep up the good work!

[@kirkgibbard6093]

Did you try using some preheat to get some of that oil and crap out of that metal ,that works pretty good too before you weld that pice back on then a little more pre heat before Welding.

[@reggiepaulk]

Excellent job. That video took a lot of work to produce.

[@jamesjames1691]

That last angle shows how far it protruded from the main casting. A couple of gussets might have been helpful to strengthen it and give it more mass. Probably total PITA to even attempt though.

[@BoostedMonkey4g63]

Im no profesional and I have done this before, but my question is how much do can charge for a job like this? Cuz here in the states is cheaper to buy a used one some times.

[@Turbo44mag]

I love the video, everyone should patiently prep the area like that for a perfect repair.

[@balzonyr4head]

I've never welded cast aluminum and I hope I never do after seeing this. Great work 🤘🏻

[@johnadame4240]

Thank you for this video. I watch your videos all the time. They are always informative. I've been doing alot more cast aluminum lately. Glad to know it's not just me!

[@JorgeGameiro]

it's always good to see someone share knowledge and trying to help other people, but you still have to correct somethings on your welding, specially on the power that your using, with such low power you can't guarantee a clean fusion, and you were lucky that porosity didn't appear alongside the weld, has it tends to pop on both sides of the weld when the metal doesn't receive enough heat

[@TheFabricatorSeries]

Consider the factors from the power source. They're not the same. Now factor in the location of the part welded. Was it at the end where head builds up rapidly or in the middle where it dissipates rapidly? Finally, consider the settings and what they mean. Now look at what happened behind the hood. Did the weld just sit on top or did it fuse? If you missed it - watch again.

[@JorgeGameiro]

@@TheFabricatorSeries yes, and when i talk about the power i'm not talking about the settings that I saw you set on the machine, but the time that it took you to heat up the part, the dept of the fusion, and that the edges were cold fused ( don't know how you call it in English. Meaning that all of the weld width isn't fusing)

[@Peter-V_00]

@@JorgeGameiro Weld width is not always penetration.

[@gmoose777]

what's your thoughts on preheating the manifold

[@ifell3]

All made sense to me, great teacher.

[@Michigander79]

First off I'd like to acknowledge you're TIG skills, you did some excellent work. About the file though, Try finding an "Aluminum TYPE A" file. They don't work with aluminum ironically. But they have a lot of chip breakers on the teeth, so unlike every other cut file they work GREAT on Cast Aluminum.

[@chetroberts2421]

First, thank you for your very informative videos! Second, I make cast aluminum sundials. They're 10" round and 3/8" thick (typical). But sometimes I do not get optimal aluminum flow of the alphabet characters of the inscription during the casting pour. The characters are typically 1/8" in thickness and 3/16" high. What would you recommend to build up the random voids and rebuild the alphabet letters? Thank you for any suggestions....

[@dekebell3307]

Your craftsmanship is on point. Thanks for sharing!

[@chucktripp5722]

Thanks been doing it for years you can always learn something new

[@osamashehab1358]

This is the right way to weld cast alu good job

[@ronkelsay7399]

For those hard to get camera shots, have you tried mounting a small HD spy cam to your hood for a POV shot?

[@lawrenceveinotte]

great info, flathead ford v8's had aluminum intakes, single 2 barrel, I'm setting up to cast parts to convert them to 3x2, i have a friend with 50 or more stock intakes, welding onto the old intakes will be a challenge, I have welded cast before, sometimes it welds beautiful, other times it is more of a mechanical bond, who know what 1940's aluminum has in it.

[@JoeAnshien]

Great video. I don't even have a welder yet, but was wondering what equipment would be needed to do it.

[@ANPennsylvania]

I need a lawn boy mower deck repaired. After seeing these videos I'm confident it can be done!

[@adamtester7611]

Justin, why aren't you using a single cut burr? I only use those double cuts for ferrous. Adam

[@iainportalupi]

That’s what I was wondering as well I have a single cut set for AL and MAG because the double cuts load up on me.

[@laurieagnew6706]

Use engineering chalk on your burrs to help prevent the build up.. double cuts give a finer finish than the single flute cutters if you only want to remove a little in my experiance

[@siggyincr7447]

In my experience it depends a lot on the alloy. Cast tends to not load up burrs like extruded or billet aluminum.

[@randyhertzberg7549]

You never replied to my question, what filler are you using for cast aluminum ?

[@codyhoche8888]

Great info for someone learning aluminum Tig in school now enjoy the channel 👍

[@siggyincr7447]

I was under the impression that you want to preheat cast before welding to avoid cracks around the weld. Am I mistaken?

[@ssnydess6787]

Any insights into your selection of aluminum filler would be welcome.

[@L4ND.SH4RK]

I just recently saved a first gen hayabusa from the crusher but it has a big problem, any advice?

[@alloycrow917]

Could this be fixed by brazing? Why or why not? Thanks.

[@w.c.m.wandfab2917]

What do you charge for a job like that. I've done it a couple times now. Looks good.

[@ron2023.]

Great learning repair w/cast material. Is it possible to tig/ braze this stuff?

[@denniswilder3014]

On a cast two stroke cyl.can you do a build up of aluminum to make transfer ports bigger

[@r11449]

How do you determine which filler material to use on unidentified cast materials?

[@10montana10]

nice video and a good explanation ,keep up the good work!!! regards from the Netherlands

[@boboconnor1403]

Came out looking excellent.

[@keremustunkaya9650]

I have to weld a completely broken off transmission case ear. Broken part is lost so I have to build up the ear. The alloy is LM25 (A03560). It will be quite a big piece to build up there. Is this doable ? Shall I use 4043 rod ? Shall I peen it between the layers ? And what are the typical machine settings for such a build up weld process ? Many thanks

[@edreiss3637]

Is a repair like that as strong as the original cast, or do you have to worry about how you torque it down and possibly use a little less torque

[@manminusblood]

Is this alumiweld brazing or welding?

[@cp1979rp2008]

What filler did you use? Si5? Mg5?

[@EC20121]

great video. thanks . you are the best teacher ever...did you use just regular aluminum rod or what type ?

[@martinjohnson9316]

Excellent informative video...thankyou for downloading.

[@jasonbirch1182]

What's your thoughts on welding up aluminum cylinder head chambers to increase compression? Would you weld a fit part in or just completely build up the chamber with filler? It's a Mercedes so just buying a better pair of aftermarket heads is not an option.

[@geoffography]

“I’m trying to force all the impurities out of there.” - The Aluminum Exorcist

[@gordowg1wg145]

Would using a gas welding flux specifically intended for aluminium/aluminum help reduce the contaminants in the weld area?

[@thespectator2976]

I have no knowledge of welding, but your way to comment your work made me look the whole video, well done :)

[@INTIREMOBILETIRESHOP]

I have a tire shop here in Atlanta. I do bent rim repair and would like to start welding cracks in cast aluminum wheels. I would prefer MIG. Something that runs on 120 but I don't think that's strong enough for thick cast aluminum (spoke side ot the wheel). Can a MIG welder handle the task? If so what do you recommend on a budget for a beginner?

[@jwright_7.319]

Where are you located? and will you patch saltwater outboard motor head?

[@kevingranger8819]

Thanks Justin , always enjoy your videos. they are so informative.